Yesterday, the NFL Scouting Combine moved onto its most important day for the Dallas Cowboys: quarterbacks, running backs, and wide receivers.
The front office in Arlington has openly expressed interest in drafting each of those three positions during this year’s draft. Luckily for them, these groups had an impressive showing, and some of the best performances came from local prospects.
If you were just listening to the audio coverage from the day, you may have mistaken the combine for a Texas Longhorns game.
Three Longhorn players in particular stole the show and most definitely have the Cowboys’ attention as we inch closer to the 2025 NFL Draft. After all, everyone knows how much Jerry Jones loves drafting locals.
Let’s take a look at each of these three guys, what they did on Saturday, and why they could end up trading horns for a star on their helmet next season.
Jaydon Blue: Sleeper Running Back Blazes 40
Houston native Jaydon Blue may not be getting the same hype as Ashton Jeanty or Omarion Hampton, but you can bet he will be a major player in the NFL.
Blue, 21, showed that potential in Indianalpois on Saturday, as he blazed the 40-yard dash with a 4.38. That tied a Longhorns running back record for the combine, matching Jamaal Charles’s time.
After rushing for a career-high 730 yards and eight touchdowns, Blue appeared to be in position for a 3rd-5th round grade.
That may have changed on Saturday, as he clocked in with the second-fastest time among all running backs and came in with a 23.19 mph top speed.
Blue’s young age, blazing speed, and modern NFL build could move him into the top-100 picks.
Isaiah Bond: Star Wide Receiver Makes Headlines
If you’ve heard Isaiah Bond’s name in the last few days, it is probably because he, like Blue, claimed he would break Xaiver Worthy’s 40-yard dash record. Bond’s assertion made national headlines, though it didn’t quite pan out.
The Texas Longhorns speedster ran a 4.39, which is stellar, but a ways off from Worthy’s 2024 4.21 time.
Bond may only be 20, but he should be used to the headlines by now. As an Alabama transfer, he was the number one wide receiver in the entire portal, and his commitment to Texas was a huge story in the college football world.
While Bond never had the statistical career many thought he would, he is still a formidable NFL Draft prospect with elite speed and explosion.
If the Cowboys end up needing a receiver after the first round, they could quickly turn to Bond, depending on where his stock is. He would join Dak Prescott’s offense as both the fastest and youngest weapon.
Matthew Golden: Draft Stock Soaring
While Bond and Blue held the headlines pre-combine with their 40-yard dash predictions, it was 21-year-old Junior Matthew Golden who shined the brightest.
After transferring from the Houston Cougars to the Texas Longhorns last year, Golden exploded in production, leading the team in both receiving yards and touchdowns. As a prospect, he has been slowly gaining traction as a first-round guy.
He helped with that narrative on Saturday, posting a 4.29 40-yard dash, the fastest by any wide receiver at the combine this year.
During the season, he jumped Bond on the depth chart to become the Longhorns’ premier weapon, and during the combine, he stole the show again. Something tells me that Dallas, who has met with him at the combine, will love that competitive drive.
If the Cowboys end up trading down in the draft, many have speculated that Golden could be the perfect late first-round fit for Dallas.
It’s too soon to be sure, but 40-yard dash times like that rarely escape the first 32 picks.
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